Wilde Childe
by Tannim Murphy
Summary: Ever wonder what a band would be like filled with your favorite anime characters?


Wilde Childe  
  
Disclaimer: None of the series I am borrowing from belong to me. I  
am not making money off of this work.  
  
This is from the mind of Serafita, brought to you by Tannim Murphy.  
I'm using his idea with his permission.  
  
Chapter One  
  
---  
  
The sun was shining brightly, even if there were a few dark clouds  
hanging in the horizon. It was a pleasantly warm afternoon during the  
summertime in Japan. So far, the weather wasn't exceedingly hot, but  
local forecasters predicted this would change.  
  
It was an average day at the Tendo Dojo. Contrary to popular belief,  
an average day did not consist of Ranma having to defeat someone in  
mortal combat, Akane being kidnapped, or Ranma training in some  
esoteric technique to deal with his latest challenger. Nor did it  
have Ranma being hit by a mallet, glomped, or subjected to taste  
various foodstuffs from several of his fiances (two of which he  
enjoyed, the third he subjected himself to reluctantly).  
  
A normal day for the Tendo household was just like a normal day for  
any other house on the street. In fact, the craziness that infected  
Ranma's life didn't spread as much as most people would think. The  
truth was the majority of Ranma's time was devoid of anything  
completely odd going on. Sure, the occasional adventure might spring  
up now and then, but it would take at least a week, sometimes an  
entire month, before anything really exciting would occur in his life  
once more.  
  
To pass the time between martial arts and more martial arts, Ranma had  
decided to increase his reading ability. Since Ranma felt reading was  
like martial arts, in that you had to start at the basics, he decided  
that manga were the basic reading tools.  
  
Ranma spent most of his free time 'reading.' Currently, he was almost  
finished re-reading his entire collection of Dragonball manga. The  
living room was a pretty quiet place if Nabiki wasn't watching TV.  
The young martial artist would be able to just relax and let his mind  
wander.  
  
From what he remembered, Nabiki wouldn't be watching TV this afternoon  
or evening. No, today was his day for the living room. It was his  
day to-  
  
Ranma bolted upright as a sudden memory decided to make itself known.  
  
"Ah! I almost forgot!"  
  
Hastily, the pig-tailed martial artist tossed the current manga he was  
reading into the stack of manga he had already finished, and bolted  
outside as fast as he could. Passing by the side of the house his  
room, he tossed the bundle unerringly at the open window to land near  
the rest of his belongings. The young man continued without pausing,  
leaping over the wall of the compound, his path leading directly  
toward the train station.  
  
---  
  
The only warning Ranma had for his first close call was the chime of a  
bicycle bell. Fortunately for him, he was currently very wary about  
being caught, and it paid off. Leaping off the fence he was running  
on at the time, Ranma hid in a nearby bush as quickly as he could.  
The young man managed just in time, too, as it turned out.  
  
Shampoo looked around in confusion. "Shampoo could have sworn Airen  
was here a moment ago..." she muttered to herself.  
  
Shrugging her shoulders, the purple-haired martial artist pushed the  
encounter out of her mind. No doubt it was another one of her  
hormone-driven hallucinations. She'd need to take a long bath as soon  
as she was off work.  
  
Ranma breathed a sigh of relief. That was too close. The young man  
waited a few more moments, making sure that Shampoo was out of sight.  
Standing up, the martial artist started running along the ground at a  
slightly different direction Shampoo was going, though still toward  
the train station.  
  
---  
  
"Sweet-o! What a haul, what a haul!"  
  
A voice interrupted the relative quiet of the afternoon. Not many  
people were around this area during the daytime, which was a great  
thing for Ranma, who had to travel in this direction occasionally.  
Unfortunately, a certain perverted martial arts master had discovered  
this fact as well, and used the opportunity it presented to 'rescue'  
any items of lingerie that happened to be within easy reach.  
  
Fearfully, Ranma looked toward the voice only to confirm one of his  
worst fears: Happosai was in the area. No nearby bushes to hide in,  
Ranma was forced to employ the Umisenken to hide from the other  
martial arts master. Ranma tensed as he waited to see if he succeeded  
in avoiding detection.  
  
"Yes my sweet pretties, you're going to a glorious place where you'll  
be appreciated!" Happosai cheerfully proclaimed to his sack full of  
ill-gotten goods. "Now, we've to get some celebratory sake from my  
two dim-witted students." The perverted martial artist gleefully  
hopped toward the direction Ranma had just come from.  
  
Ranma nearly had a heart attack as Happosai used the fence next to  
where he was hiding as a springboard toward his goal. There was a  
moment of uncertainty, where Ranma was sure he was spotted; it was not  
to be. The old man continued on to his destination.  
  
"That was close," the young martial artist muttered to himself. He  
couldn't afford to get in a fight with Happosai right now. He had  
more important things to do.  
  
---  
  
Ranma felt immense relief at reaching the train station.  
  
"Thank the Kami. Safe."  
  
Alas, Ranma had spoken too soon. Nabiki Tendo was in the crowd at the  
station, apparently looking for someone. Whether by accident or  
design, Ranma had enough luck to spot the other girl first. A quick  
jump into the nearby bushes allowed Ranma to hide himself from the  
mercenary Tendo.  
  
"What is she doing here?!" thought a frantic Ranma. "Is this what she  
does with her free time?"  
  
The martial artist couldn't help but notice the predatory look Nabiki  
had on her face as she stood in line to purchase a ticket. Ranma  
could only guess at the direction she was heading, and for what  
nefarious-  
  
Shaking his head to clear his mind, Ranma focused on what was really  
important. He had to find a way to take his usual train.  
  
Obviously, buying a ticket was out. He had to revert to more...  
outlandish methods. Making his way stealthily, Ranma leaped onto the  
top of the overhang that protected people on the platform from rain.  
Crouched, he waited there until the time he knew his train would  
arrive. Cursing his luck that forced him to take such measures, he  
leapt silently to the roof of the vehicle and prepared for a long  
trip.  
  
---  
  
Of course, it rained.  
  
The weather people had said there was only a 10 percent chance of  
rain. They obviously hadn't taken into account Ranma's curse. The  
dark cloud cover had hurried over to Ranma's potion as if eager to  
drench the martial artist.  
  
The train's roof wasn't the best surface to cling to at high speeds to  
begin with, and the rain making everything slick didn't help either.  
The curse changing Ranma from a boy to a girl was a mere irritant as  
the young martial artist clung for dear life.  
  
Luckily, as with all things, the train ride ended. It slowly pulled  
into Ranma's stop, and the young man-turned-woman was all too happy to  
leap onto the overhand that was protecting the waiting people from the  
kind of rain that was currently soaking her. Ranma's legs pumped  
furiously as she leapt from rooftop to rooftop in an attempt to reach  
her destination faster.  
  
"Dammit! I'm gonna be late!" cursed the cursed Ranma.  
  
---  
  
Mentally exhausted, physically weary, and not a little paranoid, Ranma  
finally made it to her destination. She might not have had enough  
time to find some hot water, but at least she wasn't going to be late.  
  
A bell began to chime in the distance, as if to mock her current train  
of thought. It took the martial artist two chimes to realize its  
significance. When she did, her eyes widened in shock.  
  
"No!" cried a frantic Ranma as she leapt over the steps leading to the  
temple gate on the third chime of the bell.  
  
"No no no no no no!" she chanted to herself as the bell chimed a  
fourth, then a fifth time. Pouring on all the speed she could muster,  
Ranma dashed toward the closed door of the shrine.  
  
The martial artist nearly broke the sliding door to the shrine as she  
exerted her strength to pull it open, and the pig-tailed girl tumbled  
into the room as the clock chimed a sixth time. Ranma literally  
collapsed to the floor with relief. From her face-down position on  
the ground, she thrust a fist triumphantly into the air.  
  
"Yes! Made it!" cried the muffled but obviously happy voice of Ranma.  
  
A feminine voice, full of mischief, reached the ears of the collapsed  
martial artist.  
  
"Oooh, you made it on time for once, Ranma. Congratulations," spoke  
Hikaru Shidou. Ranma looked up, and she could see the eyes of Hikaru  
full of mirth as she giggled at the martial artist's position.  
  
Another voice, definitely male, was heard from Hikaru's right.  
  
"Aw, why did you have to make it on time today, Ranma? You made me  
lose my bet," whined Keiichi Morisato overdramatically. Ranma shifted  
her head so as to encompass the older boy in her sight.  
  
A voice full of laughter spoke up from further right.  
  
"C'mon, pay up. You owe me a hundred yen," said a smiling Tenchi  
Misaki. Ranma had to shift her eyes to the right in order to spot the  
deceptively skilled swordsman.  
  
A melodious voice, on Ranma's left, spoke up.  
  
"Your guitar is in the corner, Ranma-kun, where it normally waits for  
you," said Hotaru Tomoe shyly. Ranma had to turn her head almost  
entirely around to spot the beautiful girl.  
  
"Why can't anyone but me be late for once? Huh?" grumbled Ranma from  
her position on the floor. After a moment of self-pity, she got over  
herself and flipped up to stand once more. "I don't suppose-"  
  
Ranma was cut off as a douse of hot water was poured onto her.  
Turning to spot his benefactor, Ranma gave a bright smile. "Thanks,  
Bell."  
  
"You're welcome, Ranma. I saw it was raining, and heated a kettle for  
you," replied a smiling Belldandy.  
  
Ranma placed a hand behind his head in his habitual sheepish gesture.  
"Sorry for being such a bother."  
  
"Oh, it's no trouble," assured the good-natured goddess. "I was  
planning on making tea anyway." She smiled at the assembled group of  
people before opening her umbrella and making her way back into the  
house part of the temple.  
  
Keiichi pounded randomly on the drum set in front of him impatiently.  
"Come on, Ranma. We've got to get some practice in before our gig  
tonight."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, hold yer horses." Ranma dismissed Keiichi's impatience  
with a casual wave of his hand. "Gimme a sec to tune her up." He  
reverently picked up the electric guitar from its pedestal in the  
corner of the shrine. Plugging in the instrument, Ranma closed his  
eyes as he went through the string of cords, occasionally making a  
minute adjustment to the pitch of the metal wire.  
  
The rest of the band were did some last-minute tuning on their own  
instruments. Tenchi checked his bass guitar, strumming the extra-long  
strings while listening for any imperfection. Hotaru punched a few  
keys on her electric keyboard in rapid succession, testing for  
flexibility in her fingers. Keiichi continued his slow random drum  
beats while Hikaru tuned her own electric guitar. The cacophony of  
sound continued a few more moments as the collective waited for Ranma  
to finish.  
  
Ranma, satisfied with the sound of his guitar, let off a quick riff to  
signal to the rest of the band members that he was ready. The sounds  
of various instruments slowly ground to a halt.  
  
Hikaru grinned from her position near her microphone. "Ready guys?"  
  
Keiichi grinned as he raised his drumsticks above his head. "A one, a  
two, a one two-"  
  
"Wait, wait wait wait. What song are we doing?" interrupted Ranma.  
  
The rest of the group gave a start at the interruption.  
  
"We were thinking of warming up with 'Cartoon Heroes,'" said Tenchi  
sheepishly. "It seems to describe us pretty well."  
  
"That English song by 'water' or whatever we were able to fit guitar  
riffs into?"  
  
"That's the one," said Hikaru. "Let's get started already."  
  
Keiichi tried to start a second time. "A one, a two, a one, two,  
three, FOUR!"  
  
Hikaru began singing into her microphone after the drummer's intro,  
her sweet voice wafting from the speakers. Hotaru's electronic  
keyboard making up for the instruments the band didn't have, played  
various bells and trumpets throughout the song.  
  
"We are what we're supposed to be, illusions of your fantasy, all dots  
and lines that speak and say," everyone joined in, "what we do, is  
what you wish to do."  
  
Ranma began to sign alone, deliberately making his voice harsh for his  
role in the song.  
  
"We are the color symphony; we do the things you want to see, frame by  
frame, to the extreme!"  
  
Hikaru sang alone once more.  
  
"Our friends are so unreasonable, they do the unpredictable, all dots  
and lines that speak and say," everyone chorused, "what we do is what  
you wish to do."  
  
Ranma once again took the stage as the only person singing.  
  
"It's all an orchestra of strings, doing unbelievable things! Frame  
by frame, to the extreme! One by one we're making it fun!"  
  
Everyone began singing.  
  
"We are the Cartoon Heroes, oh-oh-OH! We are the ones who are gonna  
last for-e-ver!  
We came out of a crazy mind, oh-oh-OH! And walked out on a piece of  
pa-per!  
  
"Here comes Spiderman, arachnophobian, welcome to the toon town party!  
Here comes Superman, from never never land! Welcome to the toon town  
party!"  
  
Hikaru sang alone again.  
  
"We learn to run at speed of light, and to fall down from any height;  
it's true but just remember that," everyone sang the last part, "what  
we do, is what you just can't do."  
  
Ranma started to sing his part.  
  
"An opera of craziness, a bunch of dots that's chasing us! Frame by  
frame, to the extreme! One by one we're making it fun!"  
  
Tenchi, Hotaru, Keiichi, Ranma and Hikaru all joined in together for  
the chorus.  
  
"We are the Cartoon Heroes, oh-oh-OH! We are the ones who are gonna  
last for-e-ver!  
We came out of a crazy mind, oh-oh-OH! And walked out on a piece of  
pa-per!  
  
"Here comes Spiderman, arachnophobian, welcome to the toon town party!  
  
Here comes Superman, from never never land! Welcome to the toon town  
party!"  
  
Hikaru's sweet voice sang out as everyone else went silent.  
  
"You think we're so mysterious, don't take us all too serious, be  
original, and remember that, what we do is what you just can't do."  
  
The three backup singers sang together.  
  
"What we do, is what you just can't do, what we do, is what you just  
can't do!  
What we do, is what you just can't do, what we do, is what you just  
can't do!  
  
Ranma and Hikaru began singing together.  
  
"We are the Cartoon Heroes, oh-oh-OH! We are the ones who are gonna  
last for-e-ver!  
We came out of a crazy mind, oh-oh-OH! And walked out on a piece of  
pa-per!  
  
"There's still more to come! And everyone one will be, welcome at the  
toon-"  
  
Tenchi, Hotaru, and Keiichi sang together as they echoed the two lead  
singers.  
  
"TOON!"  
  
"-town-"  
  
"TOWN!"  
  
"-paaaarday!"  
  
"..."  
  
"..."  
  
"..."  
  
Interrupting the sudden silence following the song, the sound of  
clapping erupted from the door of the shrine. Belldandy, Urd, and  
Skuld were all there, cheering the band on. Surprised band members  
looked up from their instruments to see the trio of goddesses clapping  
with abandon.  
  
"That was great you guys!" exclaimed an excited Skuld. "You really  
know how to use those instruments I built!"  
  
"You can really kick it into high gear," added Urd with her  
contribution. "Now, if only you'd let a goddess like myself to-"  
  
"Not now Urd," Belldandy shushes her sister. "We've had this talk  
before. No magic." The blond-haired goddess turned toward the  
assembled band members. "That was beautiful music, everyone."  
  
The group turned to grin at each other. After months of practice,  
everyone was in sync with each other's harmony. It took a while,  
meshing the different styles of everyone, but in the end it created a  
sound unlike anything ever heard before.  
  
First up was Ranma, at age 17. Ranma's guitar playing was literally  
the fastest on the planet; converting the chestnut fist to his fingers  
practically guaranteed him this. It also embodied a wild ferocity  
that implied it could not be tamed. Combined with his impassioned  
singing, he made up one of the two lead singers.  
  
Next was Hikaru, age 14. Hikaru, the youngest member of the group,  
and wasn't as fast as Ranma when it came to playing the guitar; she  
made up for that lack in sheer amount of feeling she poured into her  
performance. Her music could light fires that burned in people's  
hearts. Her ability to amplify her guitar work with her singing voice  
made landed her the position of lead singer alongside Ranma.  
  
Following Hikaru was Tenchi, who was the same age as Ranma at 17 years  
old. Tenchi, while a tad mellower than his fellow guitarists, was  
able to lay solid groundwork with his bass guitar that the rest of the  
band could build off of. His tenor singing voice was able to  
harmonize the group together, more so than they would have been able  
to without his help.  
  
Hotaru was 16 years old. The normally shy girl rounded out the group  
with an electronic keyboard. Able to program her keyboard to act for  
the instruments the band did not have, she was a valuable addition the  
group. Her soft singing voice often provided the backup Hikaru needed  
in certain songs, and she even sang by herself occasionally.  
  
And last but not least, Keiichi was the band's oldest member, 25 years  
old. Keiichi's solid percussion and voice work served to hold  
everything together. Able to adapt to any change at a moments notice,  
Keiichi could hammer out a beat with ease. Being the eldest, he also  
served as mentor, advisor, and friend to the younger members of the  
band.  
  
Ranma grinned in elation as he looked over his fellow sometime  
musicians, sometime warriors, and sometimes world-savers. "We're the  
best there is," he boasted.  
  
Keiichi beat on his drum set happily. "Now, the real test begins!"  
  
The rest of the band members cheered at this proclamation, for tonight  
would be the first night they were to perform together on a real  
stage!  
  
---  
  
Author's Notes: Well, here's my first songfic-type-story. O_o This  
is the first music-driven fic I've ever started, inspired by the song  
mentioned "Cartoon Heroes".  
  
For the Complete Reading Experience, have ready the song "Cartoon  
Heroes" by Aqua and listen along with the lyrics as the characters  
sing them. Imagine that the different characters are in actuality the  
people singing. ^_^ 


End file.
